On the Mountain, Praying Through Night

Jesus went up on a mountain to pray. He continued all night in prayer to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him. From them, He chose twelve men. He named them apostles. Jesus was preparing them for a work they could not yet see.

Jesus saw beyond the mountain. He saw people who had never heard His name. He saw families who needed hope and sinners who needed a Savior. He knew these twelve men would one day carry the gospel to them. His prayerful preparation secured their future ministry.

Many of us want to see God move. We long for growth and salvation. But we often neglect the private prayer that must precede public action. Before you make a plan, seek the Lord. Before you take a step, spend time with Him. Will you commit to seeking God’s direction before you seek your own?

“And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;” (Luke 6:12-13)

Prayer: Ask God for wisdom to see the future He is building and for the humility to seek Him first.

Challenge: Set aside ten minutes tonight to pray specifically for the future people of your church.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Traitor Who Heard It All

Judas Iscariot heard Jesus teach. He saw the miracles and traveled with the twelve. Jesus even washed his feet. Judas had a place among the apostles without a heart that trusted the Savior. Being around Jesus was not the same as belonging to Jesus. A place in the group could not save him.

Judas fooled the other disciples, but he never fooled Jesus. Christ knew Judas would betray Him and still showed him love. Knowing the worst about Judas did not make Jesus cruel to him. Judas received incredible kindness and still betrayed the Savior. Being loved by Jesus is not the same as trusting Jesus.

You can know the songs, the schedule, and find Habakkuk without the table of contents and still need Jesus. Do not let familiarity with God’s things replace faith in God’s Son. Have you trusted Christ, or have you just gotten comfortable around the people who have? Is your faith your own, or just a reflection of those around you?

“Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil? He spake of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for he it was that should betray him, being one of the twelve.” (John 6:70-71)

Prayer: Confess to Jesus any area where you have relied on religion instead of a relationship with Him.

Challenge: Tell one trusted Christian friend your story of how you came to personally trust Christ.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Grace for the Growing Heart

Jesus named Simon, whom He also called Peter. This man had a heart to follow Jesus and a mouth that often arrived ahead of his brain. Jesus called him knowing full well that Peter would promise to die with Him, then deny he even knew Him. Jesus knew the distance between Peter’s confidence and Peter’s strength.

Jesus works through people who still need changing. He hears us sing “I surrender all” on Sunday and sees what we are still holding onto on Tuesday. That grudge, that habit, that right to have the last word. Peter’s failure was real, but the Lord’s grace was greater. His failure did not write his final story.

You cannot go back and undo what you did. But you can turn back to Jesus and obey Him today. Your past mistakes are not a permanent disqualification. They are opportunities to experience the restoring power of Christ. What failure from your past do you need to bring to Jesus for restoration today?

“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” (Luke 22:31-32)

Prayer: Ask Jesus to restore one area where you have failed Him recently.

Challenge: Write down one specific habit you are holding onto. Burn the paper as a sign of releasing it to Christ.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Chosen While Still Following

Jesus chose twelve men from among His disciples. They were already followers before He appointed them apostles. They were already learning and spending time with Him. He called them into greater responsibility while they were faithfully following Him. Their authority came from Jesus, not from their own merit.

These men did not nominate themselves for greatness. Peter did not suggest his own leadership skills. They were simply available to the One who called them. Jesus has the right to direct the people who follow Him. He calls us to make ourselves available for what He puts in front of us, not just for what we find impressive.

We often want a more important ministry while walking past the opportunities at our feet. We ask God to show us our calling while ignoring the person sitting alone. You do not need a title to care for people or a microphone to talk about Jesus. What everyday act of service have you overlooked because it seemed too small or ordinary?

“And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,” (Mark 3:14)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for choosing you not for your ability, but for your availability.

Challenge: Before the end of the day, learn the name of one person you usually walk past.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

From Prayer to Purposeful Action

When morning came, Jesus called His disciples to Him. The night of prayer led directly to a morning of action. He did not stay on the mountain while the work waited below. He prayed, then He acted. This is the pattern for every believer: we stop moving to pray, then we stop praying to move.

Some of us need to stop acting without praying. We make decisions based on our own reactions and wisdom. Others need to stop using prayer as an excuse for inaction. We say “I’ll pray about it” when we already know God’s answer is no. Real prayer comes before God asking, “Lord, what would You have me do?” Then we obey.

You may be facing a decision today. Your instinct is to react quickly or to hide from a clear command. Instead, bring your heart under God’s authority before you act. Let prayer be the pause that prepares you for obedience. What specific step is God asking you to take that you’ve been avoiding with the phrase “I’ll pray about it”?

“And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;” (Luke 6:13)

Prayer: Confess to God one time you used prayer as an excuse to delay obedience.
Challenge: Identify one action you know God wants you to take. Write it down and do it before sunset.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Mountain of All-Night Prayer

Jesus went up a mountain to pray. The crowds were growing. The opposition was hardening. Real needs and angry critics surrounded Him. In those demanding days, Jesus continued all night in prayer to God. He deliberately made room for prayer while the demands on His time were still there.

Jesus knew His authority and direction came from the Father. He did not move without first connecting to the source of all power and wisdom. His sinless life did not make prayer optional. It made prayer essential. He shows us that life does not automatically make room for God. We must choose to make room for Him.

Many of us say we will pray when things settle down. But life never settles. We wake up and reach for our phones. We give our first minutes to strangers and distractions. We choose one more video over time with our Creator. Then we wonder why we worry so easily and speak so carelessly. What demand on your time consistently pushes prayer aside?

“And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.” (Luke 6:12)

Prayer: Ask God for the strength to choose prayer over distraction today.

Challenge: Set your phone outside your bedroom tonight. When you wake, spend the first five minutes in prayer before touching it.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Miracle and the Fury

The man stretched out his hand and it was completely restored. It was whole, just like the other. You would expect the room to erupt in praise. Instead, it filled with fury. The religious leaders were filled with rage. They began discussing what they could do to Jesus. Their pride turned a miracle into an insult. They refused to rejoice because accepting the miracle would mean admitting they were wrong.

Pride can poison our view of another person’s blessing. When someone we have dismissed begins to grow, we may doubt their authenticity. When another receives an opportunity we wanted, we struggle to congratulate them. We search for a fault because their success feels like our failure. A hardened heart will always find a reason to criticize.

Can you truly rejoice when God blesses someone else, especially if you have differences with them? Can you celebrate their healing without reminding everyone of your role? Or does your pride require others to stay wrong so you never have to admit you were wrong? Who is God blessing that you struggle to celebrate?

“And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.” (Luke 6:11)

Prayer: Thank God for a specific blessing in another person’s life, especially someone you find difficult.

Challenge: Call or text someone today specifically to celebrate a good thing in their life, with no other agenda.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Anger and Grief Over Hard Hearts

Before Jesus healed the man, He looked around at the entire gathering. Mark’s gospel tells us Jesus felt both anger and grief. His anger was a righteous response to their hard hearts. His grief was a deep sorrow over their stubborn pride. They were so committed to their rules that they were blind to a miracle of mercy happening before their eyes.

Jesus was angered by their distortion of God’s law. He was grieved that they valued their interpretation over a person’s well-being. They were protecting their system while neglecting compassion. This danger is not confined to ancient synagogues. We can defend a truth fiercely while disobeying God’s command to love.

You might champion a righteous cause yet speak harshly to your family. You might demand reverence in church but spread a rumor in the parking lot. God calls for consistency in our obedience. He wants our whole life under His Word. In what area of your life is there a gap between what you defend and how you live?

“And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.” (Mark 3:5)

Prayer: Ask the Lord to show you any inconsistency between your professed beliefs and your daily actions.

Challenge: Choose one relationship where your actions have not matched your beliefs. Initiate a conversation to make it right

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

 Stretch Forth Your Hand

Jesus knew the critical thoughts of the religious leaders. He understood their hostility. Yet He did not allow their reaction to dictate His obedience to the Father. He called the man to stand up in front of everyone. Then Jesus asked him to do the impossible: “Stretch forth thy hand.” The man had a choice. He could obey the command or listen to his doubts.

The man obeyed. He stretched out his withered hand, and it was restored. He became whole. His obedience happened while his critics were still watching. Their disapproval did not stop his healing. The power to heal belonged entirely to Jesus, but the response required was simple obedience.

You may be delaying a step of obedience because you fear someone’s reaction. You wait for a perfect moment when no one will object. But God’s call on your life does not require anyone else’s permission. When God’s Word makes your duty clear, you must obey. What is one thing God has told you to do that you’ve postponed because of someone else’s opinion?

“Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?” (Luke 6:9)

Prayer: Ask Jesus for the courage to obey Him today, even if others might not understand or approve.

Challenge: Write down one act of obedience you have been avoiding. Take the first step to do it before sunset.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Watching for an Accusation

The scribes and Pharisees fixed their eyes on Jesus. They watched for a miracle not with hope, but with hostility. They wanted to use the man’s healing as evidence against Jesus. Their critical spirit turned a suffering man into a piece of courtroom evidence. They held a clipboard of rules when they should have held out a hand of help.

A heart set on accusation will always find a reason to condemn. It can observe an act of pure mercy and still search for a violation. This attitude values being right more than helping others. It cares more about winning an argument than restoring a person.

Have you ever felt a hint of satisfaction when someone’s failure proved your warning correct? It is easy to discuss a person’s struggle as proof we were right. We can become more interested in validating our opinion than offering restoration. When you hear about another’s difficulty, what is your first response: to find proof or to pray?

“But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.” (Luke 6:8)

Prayer: Confess any desire to be right over being righteous. Ask for a heart that seeks to restore, not to accuse.

Challenge: If you are tempted to say “I told you so” about someone today, stop and pray for them instead

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

 A Withered Hand in the Synagogue

Jesus taught in the synagogue on the Sabbath. A man with a withered right hand was also there. The religious leaders watched Jesus closely. They were not hoping for a miracle. They were looking for a reason to accuse Him. Their rules said healing was work, and work was forbidden. They saw the man’s condition as a theological problem, not a personal tragedy.

Jesus saw the man. He knew the man’s suffering was more important than their regulations. He understood the daily struggle of a life limited by this infirmity. That hand could not button a shirt or hold a cup. The man was not a subject for debate. He was a person in need of mercy.

You likely encounter people with hidden struggles every day. They may sit near you, their pain masked by a quiet demeanor. You can choose to look past their exterior and see the person Jesus sees. Their need for compassion is greater than your need for comfort. What person in your life have you been summarizing instead of seeing?

“And, behold, there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.” (Luke 6:6-7)

Prayer: Ask God to give you His eyes to see the people around you, not just their problems or their potential to inconvenience you.

Challenge: Identify one person you often overlook. Before the day ends, speak a kind, specific word of encouragement to them.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Beyond the House Rules

The Pharisees were enforcing their house rules on everyone else. They treated their preferences as God’s requirements. Jesus confronted this error directly. He showed that God’s Word provides freedom, not bondage to human tradition. Our man-made rules cannot save us, and they often hinder others from finding grace.

Salvation does not come from keeping anyone’s house rules. It comes through faith in Jesus Christ alone. He lived the perfect life we could not live. He died for our sins and rose again. We contribute nothing to our rescue except the sin that made it necessary. Trusting in our own goodness is like keeping score in a game God isn’t playing.

You might be tempted to trust your own scorecard. You list your church attendance, your good deeds, or your better-than-some morality. But that scorecard cannot erase a single sin. Only the blood of Jesus can do that. Will you stop presenting your own righteousness and fully trust in what Jesus has done for you?

“When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour’s standing corn.” (Deuteronomy 23:25, KJV)

Prayer: Thank Jesus that your salvation rests entirely on His work, not your rule-keeping.

Challenge: Tell one person today that Jesus saves us by grace, not by our own good works

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Lord of the Sabbath

Jesus did not end the debate with a story. He ended it with a declaration of His identity. He said, “The Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” He claimed absolute authority over the very day the Pharisees were trying to protect. He is the one who gives the rules their meaning and purpose.

Jesus is the Lord of all. He has authority over every tradition, every rule, and every day. The Pharisees thought they were defending God’s law, but they were actually correcting the Lawgiver Himself. Their system had no room for the Author of the system. We must never let our interpretations become more important than obedience to Christ.

Your life has many areas: your schedule, your money, your relationships. You may be tempted to tell Jesus, “You can be Lord over this part, but not that one.” But He will not accept a divided throne. His lordship is total. He is Lord even when His commands challenge your comfort or contradict your traditions. What area of your life are you struggling to surrender to Christ’s authority?

“And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.” (Luke 6:5, KJV)
Prayer: Confess to Jesus one area where you have resisted His lordship.

Challenge: Say out loud, “Jesus, You are Lord of [name a specific area of your life] today.”

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Have You Not Read?

Jesus answered the Pharisees with a question. “Have ye not read what David did?” He pointed them to a story in 1 Samuel they knew well. When David was hungry, he ate the sacred bread that was lawful only for priests. Jesus used their own Scriptures to show their understanding was incomplete.

Knowing Bible stories is not the same as understanding God’s heart. The Pharisees could quote rules but missed the mercy in God’s Word. They knew the letter of the law but ignored its spirit. We can make the same mistake. We accumulate biblical knowledge without letting it transform our character and compassion.

You may know your Bible well. You might have verses memorized and doctrines defined. But knowledge alone can make you proud. True understanding leads to humility and grace. It aligns your heart with God’s priorities of love and truth. Are you building your life on the full counsel of God’s Word, or just the parts that support your preferences?

“And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;” (Luke 6:3, KJV)

Prayer: Ask God to help you see His heart of mercy in the Scriptures you know best.

Challenge: Read 1 Samuel 21:1-6 and write down one way God showed compassion in that account.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Loudest Accusation Isn't Always Right

The Pharisees saw the disciples eating and immediately accused them. “Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?” They spoke with confidence and religious authority. People listening would have assumed these learned men were correct. But their accusation was based on their own rules, not God’s Word.

A loud voice or a position of respect does not make a claim true. The Pharisees were sincere, but they were sincerely wrong. They had learned their rules from trusted teachers. They repeated them until their words sounded like God’s words. We must always test what we hear against Scripture itself, no matter who says it.

You live in a world full of loud voices. They claim authority on how you should live, love, and believe. Social media, podcasts, and even some preachers can build entire systems on personal opinion. Your responsibility is to be like the Bereans and search the Scriptures to see if what they say is true. What popular belief have you accepted without checking it against the Bible?

“And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?” (Luke 6:2, KJV)

Prayer: Pray for discernment to recognize man-made rules disguised as biblical commands.

Challenge: Read Acts 17:11 and write down one thing you need to examine more closely in God’s Word.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

 A Good Gift Becomes a Heavy Burden

Jesus walked with His disciples through grain fields on the Sabbath. His hungry followers picked some heads of grain. They rubbed them in their hands and ate the kernels. God’s law allowed this for a hungry traveler. But the Pharisees saw this simple act and called it work. They said it broke the Sabbath.

God gave the Sabbath as a gift. It reminded His people that He made them and freed them. It was a day to stop working and trust God’s provision. But the religious leaders added many rules to God’s command. They turned a day of rest into a list of restrictions. Their additions became a heavy burden God never intended.

We can do the same with good things. We take a practice like family devotions and add our own expectations. We demand perfect behavior and lengthy sessions. What God meant for joy becomes a source of tension and failure. We judge others by our standards instead of God’s grace. Where have you turned a good gift into a heavy rule for yourself or others?

“And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.” (Luke 6:1, KJV)

Prayer: Ask God to show you one man-made rule you treat as His command.

Challenge: Identify one area where your personal preference has become a non-negotiable standard for your family.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

From Spectator to Witness

Levi the tax collector heard Jesus say, "Follow me." He left his tax booth immediately. He did not just become a spectator. He prepared a feast and invited his friends to meet Jesus. His life was radically reoriented around his new Lord. His obedience was immediate and complete. He became a witness, not just a fan.

Jesus calls us to the same kind of whole-life response. He is not interested in patching up our old life. He wants to give us a new one. This new life requires new wineskins- new patterns, new priorities, and a new purpose. We are called to be active participants in His mission, not just consumers of religious services.

You have heard what Jesus says. The call to follow Him is a call to surrender everything. It is a call to let Him change your routines, your relationships, and your reasons for living. Will you continue to be a spectator, or will you become a witness? What is one step you can take today to move from observing to obeying?

“And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. And he left all, rose up, and followed him.” (Luke 5:27-28)

Prayer: Pray for God to make you a witness who invites others to meet Jesus, just like Levi.
Challenge: Call or text one person this week to share what God has been teaching you.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Leaking Hose and the Tape

A young man stood over a broken car engine. A cracked hose was leaking coolant. A mechanic pointed to the problem and said, "You need to replace that hose." But the young man did not want to pay the price. He wanted a cheaper, easier fix. He wrapped the hose with electrical tape. It worked until pressure built up and the tape failed.

We often approach Jesus like that young man. We want His help, but we want Him to work with our solution. We ask Him to fix what is embarrassing and get us out of a mess. But when His Word challenges the way we think or the things we excuse, we resist. We want His help while still insisting on our own way.

You might be praying for God to help you overcome a temptation. But you keep the phone number, the bottle, or the website. You know where you fall and what you reach for. When God's Word calls you to cut off access or ask for accountability, you object. Are you asking God to pull you out while you keep one hand wrapped around what is dragging you under?

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we
 confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:8-9)

Prayer: Ask God for the courage to stop wrapping your sin in excuses and to truly confess it.

Challenge: Delete one contact, throw away one item, or install one filter that represents a step of obedience today

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Man Who Prefers the Old

Jesus observed that a person who drinks old wine does not immediately want new wine. He says, ‘The old is good.’ This man has a settled preference. His taste is accustomed to the old. He resists the new simply because it is unfamiliar. His comfort with the old blinds him to the superior quality of the new.

This preference explains why people resist Jesus. They find security in what they know. They like their own measure of goodness. They trust in their church background or their moral record. This feels safe and familiar. The truth of the gospel disturbs that comfort. It requires admitting that their familiar way is not sufficient.

You may find comfort in saying, "I'm a good person." That statement may comfort your conscience, but it cannot cleanse it. Only Jesus can deal with the sin you have been trying to explain away. What comfortable excuse have you been using to avoid surrendering fully to Christ?

“No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.” (Luke 5:39)

Prayer: Thank Jesus that He alone can cleanse your conscience and save you completely.

Challenge: Identify one excuse you use for a sin pattern ("I was raised that way," "That's just how I am") and reject it aloud.


To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

 New Wine in Old Wineskins

Jesus gave another picture. He said no one puts new wine into old wineskins. New wine ferments and creates pressure. Old wineskins have already been stretched. They become brittle. The pressure will cause them to burst. The wine will spill out, and the skins will be ruined. New wine must be put into fresh, flexible wineskins.

The old wineskins represent rigid religious systems and personal routines. Jesus brings something new and powerful that cannot be contained by our old ways. We can become so attached to our methods that we stop asking if they help us obey God. We prefer the comfort of the familiar over the challenge of obedience.

Your life may be like an old wineskin. Your schedule is full, but it has no room for prayer. Your habits are comfortable, but they leave no space for God's Word. You want to grow closer to the Lord, but you will not change your routine to make it happen. What familiar arrangement is God asking you to change so you can receive what He wants to give?

“And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.” (Luke 5:37-38)

Prayer: Confess to God your attachment to comfort and ask for a heart willing to be stretched.

Challenge: Set aside 15 minutes today to turn off all distractions and read your Bible



To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The New Patch on Old Jeans

Jesus told a story about a new garment and an old one. He said no one tears a piece from a new garment to patch an old one. Doing so ruins the new garment. The new patch will not match the old fabric. The religious leaders wanted Jesus to fit their old system. They expected Him to endorse their rules and correct their enemies.

Jesus did not come to be a patch for our old lives. He did not come to simply fix a few embarrassing problems. He offers complete transformation, not a quick repair. We often want His help while we keep control. We ask Him to fix what is falling apart without letting Him touch what we are holding onto.

You might be trying to attach a little religion to your life. You hope it will hold everything together. But you refuse to let Jesus address what needs to change. You are willing to give Him Sunday morning but have marked certain areas "NO TRESPASSING." Where are you asking Jesus to be a patch instead of your Lord?

“And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.” (Luke 5:36)

Prayer: Ask God to show you the one area you are trying to patch instead of surrendering.

Challenge: Write down one habit or attitude you know God wants to change, but you have been resisting.


To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

Unpacking Your Bag

A little boy sat in a courtroom. His adoption was about to be finalized. He had learned not to get too comfortable and always kept a small bag packed. After the judge signed the papers, the boy whispered a question, “Does this mean I can unpack my bag?” His new father looked him in the eyes and said, “Son, you’re coming home with us. You belong to our family.”

Some of us live with a packed bag in our hearts. We know what we have done. We know how we have failed. We think if people really knew us, they wouldn’t want us. We carry that fear into our relationship with God, trying to clean ourselves up to earn His acceptance.
Jesus said, “him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” You can come to Him with empty hands. You can trust the Savior who invites you to belong. Will you finally unpack the bag of guilt and receive your place in His family?

“…him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37)

Prayer: Ask God to make the reality of your adoption in Christ feel more real than your feelings of failure.

Challenge: Place a small bag or backpack in a closet as a physical reminder that you are home and you belong.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Cost of the Celebration

Jesus knew a time was coming when the Bridegroom would be taken away. He told His disciples they would fast in those days. He could see beyond Levi’s house. He knew Judas would betray Him and Peter would deny Him. He knew His hands would be pierced and His body laid in a tomb. He sat at the feast knowing He was going to the cross.

The joy at that table was free to the sinners, but their salvation would cost Him His life. His death would bring a time of mourning for His disciples. Jesus knew what it would cost to save Levi, and He still came. He knew the depth of our guilt, and He willingly went to the cross.

We sometimes talk about grace being free. It is freely given to us. But we must never forget what it cost Him. Look at the cross and see the price He paid. What does His willing sacrifice reveal to you about the value He places on your soul?

“But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.” (Luke 5:35)

Prayer: Confess to God any tendency to take His grace for granted, and thank Him for the immense cost of your salvation.

Challenge: Read the account of the crucifixion in Luke 23:26-49 and write down one observation about what Jesus endured.


o listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

The Bridegroom in the Room

Jesus answered His critics with a question. He asked them if the wedding guests could fast while the bridegroom was with them. The answer was obvious. Of course not. A wedding is a time for joy, not mourning. Jesus identified Himself as the Bridegroom. His presence made that meal a celebration. His disciples had a reason to rejoice because He was there.

The critics saw the meal, the men, and everything that didn’t fit their expectations. They failed to recognize what the presence of Jesus meant. His presence meant forgiveness was available. His presence meant hope had arrived. His presence was the cause for their joy.

We can sometimes lose our amazement at this truth. We say “Jesus saves sinners” with little feeling. But slow down. Think about those words. Jesus…the Son of God; Saves… rescues completely; Sinners…people like you and me. Does the reality of Christ’s presence with you stir your heart to joy?

“And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?” (Luke 5:34)

Prayer: Pray for a fresh sense of Christ’s presence with you today, making your ordinary moments a cause for gratitude.

Challenge: Tell one person today why you are thankful for Jesus, using a specific example from your life.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media

 Jesus in Levi’s House

Levi invited his friends to a meal. These were tax collectors and sinners, men everybody else looked down on. They expected the usual crowd and the same old stories. Then someone said, “Jesus is here.” They were shocked. They were accustomed to religious people talking about them, not sitting with them. They waited for Jesus to ask, “Who let this guy in here?” But that question never came.

Instead, Jesus sat with them. He shared a meal with them. He knew every sin Levi had committed, and He still called him to follow. The religious critics saw only the scandal of the meal. They failed to see the grace of the Messiah. Jesus was there to seek and to save the lost.

You may feel unworthy to sit at Christ’s table. You may wonder if He knows who you are and what you have done. Hear His invitation to come. He calls sinners, not the self-righteous. He welcomes those who know they need Him. Will you trust that His invitation includes you?

“And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.” (Luke 5:29)

Prayer: Thank Jesus for His willingness to sit with sinners and for His specific grace toward you.

Challenge: Write down one past failure you still hold against yourself and then physically tear up the paper as a reminder of Christ’s forgiveness.

To listen to the sermon that corresponds with this devotion, click the link: https://www.mbcpb.org/media